


Before the Battle

by exmachinarium



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Metal Band, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-21
Updated: 2014-02-21
Packaged: 2018-01-13 06:33:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1216168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exmachinarium/pseuds/exmachinarium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"All right," Athelstan gets up from where he was checking the remaining plugs, "everything’s fine, you’re ready to go."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the Battle

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr in answer to an Anon request.

"All right," Athelstan gets up from where he was checking the remaining plugs, "everything’s fine, you’re ready to go."

On the stage the support is getting their final round of what can be very generally referred to as applause (hearing it still makes Athelstan fear for his life), and the Vikings are up next - the star of the evening as it were. Athelstan - or ‘The Monk’, as he’s referred to by the rest of the band due to his ‘prudish’ ways - still can’t really tell how someone like himself, an imaginative but timid kid and straight A student, ended up as a tech support for one of the most popular death metal bands across the continent.

Well, that and a child minder of the front man’s two kids. But that’s beside the point.

Ragnar, the front man, gives him a big, almost childish grin, while his heavy hand lands on Athelstan’s back, nearly making the man topple over. This obviously causes much laughter from the rest of the band who were just putting finishing touches to their stage look. And even though he knows they’re friends, in those last pre-gig moments Athelstan can’t help feeling like a helpless animal cornered and surrounded by a wild horde of hunters, ready to tear him apart and sacrifice to some pagan god or other. Were they actual Vikings, way back when in the past, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

(He once drunkenly blurted out something along these lines, to which Ragnar and Lagertha both laughed and assured him that one look of his big pleading eyes would make even the toughest warrior melt and take him home to be the family’s pet. To which Floki pointed out Athelstan’s present situation was not at all different, which caused even more laughter from everyone.)

Athelstan carefully steps aside to let the band through. Right now, he serves as their lucky charm. Rollo ruffles his hair, almost ripping out a handful of dark curls; Floki moves past him in that strange gait he has, sending Athelstan a positively manic look; Lagertha smirks and fondly pats him on the cheek. They’re already at their instruments when Ragnar saunters nearer, the grin of childish excitement somehow amplifying his intimidating, savage look.

"Sure you don’t want to join us out there?"

"What? No, no, I’m definitely not cut out for this type of… Music." Athelstan laughs nervously. "Unless you plan to add some… Latin choirs?"

"That could work. You’d have to shave your head, though."

He pats the bewildered Athelstan on the head and without missing a beat whisks him up and ravishes his mouth with the same infuriating smugness he shows the world each and every day. Dizzy and out of breath, Athelstan manages only to rasp out ‘go!’ and push the grinning man out into the wall of roars and blinding lights that is the stage. Leaning heavily against the wall, he then lets the carnal, nearly physical wave of noise wash over him; he’ll think about breathing later.


End file.
